The IWTC-2023 ITF World Tennis Tour $40000 Tournament (Shri Ganesh Naik Initiative) being organized by the Navi Mumbai Sports Association in association with Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) under the auspices of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and All India Tennis Association (AITA) being held at the Ganesh Naik Tennis Complex Hard Courts in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, witnessed action packed matches in the first round of the Singles event in the Main Draw.

Winner of the last week ITF Solapur $25000 tournament Sahaja Yamlapalli and Vaidehi Chaudari were the only Indians, who overcame the initial hurdle to enter the second round, while unseeded Misaki Matsuda of Japan defeated seventh seeded Ksenia Zaytseva of Russia in two straight sets to register the first upset of the event.

In the best match of the day, eighth seeded Sahaja overcame the opening set loss to get past fellow Indian and defending National champions and winner of the Bengaluru leg of the ITF tourney Rashmikaa Shrivalli Bhamidipaty 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in an engrossing contest that lasted 2 hours and 39 mins. Incidentally both are currently India ranked 4 and 5 respectively in the Women’s Singles category.

Unseeded Vaidehi Chaudhari and former National champion played with resolve before registering a 6-0, 6-4 win over Russian Ekaterina Kazionova and made it to the second stage. The highlight being, high percentage of first serves and break points conversions, that resulted in Vaidehi annexing six games in a row on a winning cause.

Young Wildcard Vaishnavi Adkar of India gave a good account of herself taking the first set against higher ranked Zhibek Kulambayeva of Kazakhstan but failed to capitalize after her initial gains. In a match lasting 2 hours and 28 mins Kulambayeva rallied out Vaishnavi 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

In a match involving local favourite and Wildcard entrant Akanksha Nitture and Japanese Qualifier Akiko Omae, it was the later perseverance and aggressiveness that counted in the end. The higher ranked Akiko won with a score line 6-1, 6-4 win over 20 year old upcoming star Akanksha who served as the lone ace of the match and had higher percentage of first serves (75 to 74) between the two.

Other Indians Prabha Arunkumar Lakshmi and Humera Baharmus who did well to make the Main Draw post three tough qualifying rounds, also bowed out of the tournament in the opening round. On one hand former champion and sixth ranked Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia, with seven ITF Singles titles to her credit, proved to be strong for Qualifier Lakshmi and won in two straight sets 6-3, 6-2. Qualifier Humera put up a good fight before conceding her match to Daria Kudashova of Russia after suffering from recurrent back pain in the fifth game of the second set and had to retire 6-4, 4-1 (Rtd). 

It was another blow for the Indian campaign as Rutuja Bhosale seeded fifth, recovering from dengue withdrew from the singles event with pain in her foot. In the ensuing match Saki Imamura of Japan got the better of 20 year old Ioana Zvonaru of Romania in two straight sets 6-2, 6-2.

The opening round also proved to be the undoing of other Indian players in action on the opening day of the Main Draw too, as Japanese Funa Kozaki struggled to get past a fighting Zeel Desai before prevailing in three hard fought sets 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-2.  On the other hand Ekaterina Yashina of Russia made short work of Wildcard entrant Harsshali Mandavkar outplaying her 6-1, 6-1. While Greek Fourth seed Sapfo Sakellaridi accounted for another Wildcard entrant Suhitha Maruri with a score line of 6-3, 7-5.

Earlier the 10th edition of the prestigious event in its upgraded format in terms of total Prize money ($25000 to $40000) was inaugurated by the President of the NMSA Ganesh Naik in presence of MSLTA Vice President Dr. Dilip Rane who incidentally is also the club’s Vice President and Tournament Director, Committee members and various dignitaries in addition to Saman Hassani (Tournament Supervisor) and Leena Nageshkar (Chief of Umpires) during a colourful opening ceremony amidst huge cheers from the gathering.

The highlight being an impressive march past by the marching contingent of Fr. Agnel Multipurpose School, Vashi and Zumba Dance by Red Arrows.

Results:

# Main Draw Singles

First Round: 1) Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) bt (Q) Weronika Baszak (POL) 6-2, 0-1; Vaidehi Chaudhari (IND) bt (Q) Ekaterina Kazionova (RUS) 6-0, 6-4; Zhibek Kulambayeva (KAZ) bt (WC) Vaishnavi Adkar (IND) 4-6, 7-5, 6-3; Saki Imamura (JPN) bt  (LL) Ioana Zvonaru (ROU) 6-2, 6-2; 3) Justina Mikulskyte (LTU) bt (Q) Hiromi Abe (JPN) 6-3, 7-5; Daria Kudashova (RUS) bt (Q) Humera Baharmus (IND) 6-4, 4-1 (Rtd); Funa Kozaki (JPN) bt Zeel Desai (IND) 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-2; 6) Diana Marcinkevica (LAT) bt Prabha Arunkumar Lakshmi (IND) 6-3, 6-2; Misaki Matsuda (JPN) bt 7) Ksenia Zaytseva (RUS) 6-3, 6-4; (Q) Akiko Omae (JPN) bt (WC) Akanksha Nitture (IND) 6-1, 6-4; Ekaterina Yashina (RUS) bt Harsshali Mandavkar (IND) 6-1, 6-1; 4) Sapfo Sakellaridi (GRE) bt (WC) Suhitha Maruri (IND) 6-3, 7-5; 8) Sahaja Yamalapalli (IND) bt Rashmikaa Shrivalli Bhamidipaty (IND) 5-7, 6-1, 6-2; Naho Sato (JPN) bt (Q) Anna Sedysheva 6-4, 2-0 (Rtd); Ekaterina Maklakova (RUS) bt (Q) Vicky Van De Peer (Bel) 6-4, 6-3; 2) Moyuka Uchijima (JPN) bt Mana Kawamura (JPN) 6-4, 6-1.

# Qualifying Singles

Final round: Prabha Arunkumar Lakshmi (IND) bt Lakshmi Gowda (IND) 6-3, 6-4; Akkiko Omae (JPN) bt Ioana Zvonaru (ROU) 6-2, 6-0; Vicky Van De Peer (BEL) bt Elena Jamshidi (DEN) 7-5, 6-2; Ekaterina Kazionova (RUS) bt Kamiilla Bartone (LAT) 6-4, 6-0; Weronika Basszak (POL) bt Olivia Bergler (POL) 6-3, 6-2; Hiromi Abe (JPN) bt Saumya Vig (IND) 6-3, 6-0; Humera Baharmus (IND) bt Jennifer Luikham (IND) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4; Anna Sedysheva bt Nanari Kastumi (JPN) 6-2, 6-3.

Second round: Lakshmi Gowda (IND) w.o. Smriti Bhasin (IND); Akiko Omae (JPN) bt Priyanshi Bhandari (IND) 6-1, 6-1; Ioana Zvonaru (ROU) bt Soha Sadiq (IND) 6-4, 6-2; Vicky Van De Peer (BEL) bt Kundali Majgaine (IND) 7-5, 6-3; Elena Jamshidi (DEN) bt Kkaira Chetnani (IND) 6-1, 6-0; Kamilla Bartone (LAT) bt Abhaya Vemuri (IND) 6-1, 6-1; Ekaterina Kazionova (RUS) bt Farhat Aleen Qamar (IND) 6-0, 6-4; Weronika Baszak (POL) bt Prathyusha Rachapudi (IND) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2; Olivia Bergler (POL) bt Laalitya Kalluri (IND) 6-0, 6-4; Hiromi Abi (JPN) bt Sejal Bhutada (IND) 6-2, 6-3; Saumya Vig (IND) bt Gurmanat Sandhu (AUS) 6-3, 6-0; Humera Baharmus (IND) bt Alexandra Azarko 6-1, 6-3; Jennifer Luikham (IND) bt Ishwari Matere (IND) 6-4, 7-5; Anna Sedysheva bt Honoka Kobayashi (JPN) 6-0, 6-4; Nanari  Katsumi (JPN) bt Bela Tamhankar (IND) 6-2, 6-3.

First round: Lakshmi Gowda (IND) bt Madhurima Sawant (IND) 6-3, 6-3; Priyanshi Bhandari (IND) bt Paavanii Paathak (IND) 6-0, 6-4; Soha Sadiq (IND) bt Apurva Vemuri (IND) 6-0, 6-1; Kundali Majgaine  (IND) bt Sonal Patil (IND)1-6, 6-4, 6-2; Kkaira Chetanani (IND) bt Pooja Ingale (IND) 6-4, 7-5; Abhaya Vemuri (IND) bt Vaary Shah (IND) 6-0, 6-0; Farhat Aleen (IND) bt Danica Fernando (IND) 6-3, 6-3; Prathyusha Rachapudi (IND) bt Yashaswini Panwar (IND) 6-1, 3-0 (retired); Laalitya Kalluri (IND) bt Abhilasha Bista (NEP) 6-4, 7-6(5); Sejal Bhutada (IND) bt Vanshita Pathania (IND) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5); Gurmanat Sandhu (AUS) bt Arthi Muniyan (IND) 6-0, 6-7(3), 6-4; Alexandra Azarko bt Sameeksha Shroff (IND) 7-5, 6-1; Ishwari Matere (IND) bt Gia Pereira (IND) 6-3, 7-6(5); Anna Sedysheva bt NIdhitra Rajmohan (IND) 6-3, 6-2; Bela Tamhankar (IND) bt Kyra Shetty (IND) 6-2, 6-3.